BECE Past Questions & Answers – 2007 (English)

April 2007

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1

OBJECTIVE TEST
45 minutes

SECTION A COMPREHENSION

Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions which follow

PASSAGE I

“Help! Help! Fire!” This and other noises like the banging of doors and crunching footsteps woke Barimah up. “Something must be done,” he exclaimed to his wife Fosua who was already awake. He dressed up quickly, opened the door and went out advising his wife not to leave the house.

It was pitch dark outside; the only light came from the flaming house of Agya Atta. By the time Barimah got there, the house was truly in flames and people had gathered around busily and frantically pouring water and sand on the flames. They were doing everything they could to put out the fire.

Meanwhile, they had managed to rescue a few things from the fire. These Barimah caused to be packed and taken to his house to prevent them from being looted. He then took Agya Atta‟s wife and children to his house and quickly returned to fight the flames.

Araba had won the hearts of many people by her good deeds and kindness. It was therefore sad to see her lose her property, as well as the house she and Agya Atta had toiled to build.

1. Barimah asked Fosua to stay indoors because A. people were running helter-skelter. B. there was a terrible noise.
C. he suspected danger outside. D. the place was very dark.

2. What did Barimah find immediately he went out?
A. Araba fighting the flames
B. People packing things
C. People shouting
D. Agya Atta‟s house burning

4. From the passage we can infer that the Barimahs and the Agya Attas are
A. classmates
B. good neighbours
C. in-laws
D. age mates

5. People sympathized with Araba because she
A. had been left by her husband. B. toiled with her husband.
C. was a good woman.
D. was sad.

PASSAGE II

Many smokers ignore the warning about the dangers of smoking although there is a national campaign against the habit. The United Nations has set aside a day to be observed against the killer habit.

The story is told of a young man who became addicted to smoking. In no time, he developed smoking- related diseases and died miserably, leaving behind his wife and children in poverty.

Research shows that the smoker is far more likely to suffer, if not die of major diseases like lung cancer and heart failure, than a non-smoker.

It is generally known that smoking during pregnancy is undesirable. Women who smoke produce underweight babies. They are also likely to miscarry, have still-born babies or lose them after birth. If such children survive and attend school, they do not perform well.

What is most annoying about smoking is the risk to passive smokers. Non-smokers breathing in smoke
from other people‟s cigarettes, pipes and cigars stand the risk of contracting the diseases that harm smokers.

If smokers knew how non-smokers feel about them, they would give up the habit. The smoker is regarded by many as a social misfit – one who does not consider the welfare of others but his own interest in smoking, no matter where he.

6. Wh at has society done about smoking? It has
A. sent smokers to court.
B. given medical treatment to smokers.
C. ignored it.

D. opposed it.

7. According to the passage, which of the following is caused by smoking?
A. Malaria
B. Measles
C. Cancer of the lungs
D. Tuberculosis

8. Which of the following is true about pregnant women who smoke? They
A. are likely to give birth to dead babies
B. are not able to breastfeed C. are likely to have twins D. lose weight

9. Passive smokers are those who
A. befriend smokers
B. are addicted to smoking
C. do not smoke at all
D. inhale smoke from smokers‟ cigarettes